Green SM, a taxi service from Vietnam, has officially launched operations in Almaty and is already preparing to expand its fleet of electric vehicles. Although the company currently has approximately 500 VinFast VF 6 crossovers in Almaty, only a fraction of them have entered service on the city’s roads.
Kazakhstan as Green SM’s entry market in Central Asia
Kazakhstan is Green SM’s sixth country of operation, following Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, the Philippines and India, and its first market in Central Asia. The service initially entered the market in Almaty with the VinFast VF 6 Eco, a compact urban electric crossover.
According to Green SM CEO Nguyen Quoc Tuan, Kazakhstan is viewed as a promising market for long-term investment.
«Kazakhstan is a market with high potential, dynamic growth and growing demand for modern services,» he said.
Launch ceremony
The service’s official launch ceremony took place on June 23 near the Palace of the Republic in Almaty. The event was attended by Nguyen Thanh Le, Vietnam’s ambassador to Kazakhstan; Berikbol Mandibayev, head of the Almaty Department of Entrepreneurship and Investment; as well as business representatives and the company’s strategic partners.
Instead of the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony, participants simultaneously pressed buttons on special remote controls, thereby officially launching the project in Kazakhstan.
Special training program for drivers
As Green SM Kazakhstan CEO Arthur Shaimukhambetov told Kursiv.media, one of the company’s key areas of focus is driver training. Candidates undergo hours of instruction on service and safety standards, followed by examinations, he said. Drivers also receive separate training on using the mobile app and the specifics of operating electric vehicles.
Charging hubs for Green SM
One of the company’s main concerns following the launch is the load on charging stations. According to Shaimukhambetov, Green SM is considering creating its own charging hubs for drivers as hundreds of new electric vehicles take to the streets of Almaty.
As he noted, these future sites will not only charge vehicles but also provide basic maintenance services. The company intends to develop this infrastructure in collaboration with its partners.
No major ambitions for now
Green SM executives are taking a cautious approach to the market share the company can capture. They said that, for now, the primary focus is on service quality and customer satisfaction. Only after establishing a foothold in the market will the taxi service consider further expansion.
The launch of Green SM is one of the largest projects in recent years aimed at introducing electric vehicles to Kazakhstan’s taxi industry. If the company deploys its entire fleet, the number of turquoise VinFast electric vehicles in Almaty will increase by several hundred, potentially significantly boosting demand for the city’s charging infrastructure.
